Selectively controllable, plunger operated, electric switch



NGV. 3, 1959 c. A. ROCK SELECTIVELY CONTROLLABLE, PLUNGER OPERATED, ELECTRIC swITcH Filed Sept. 20, 1957 FIG. 5.

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United States Patent i SELECTIVELY CONTROLLABLE, PLUNGER OPERATED, ELECTRIC SWITCH Clarence A. Rock, Costa Mesa, Calif., assignor of onetenth to Gadget-Of-The-Month Club, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application September 20, 1957, Serial lNov. 685,321

1 Claim. (Cl. 20G-61.79)

Generally speaking, the present invention relates to the plunger operated electric switch art and, more specifi-y cally, relates to an improved selectively controllable, plunger operated, electric switch of the type adapted to be operated by housing doors.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a plunger operated electric switch which may be selectively activated or de-activated so as to selectively control electrical energization of a member 4with which the electric switch is associated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a selectively controllable, plunger operated, electric switch which is adaptable to be yoperated by the opening and closing of a door. Y

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a selectively controllable, plunger operated, electric switch having an elliptical aperture in the plunger which is cooperable for selectively engaging and electrically connecting the Contact arms.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a selectively controllable, plunger operated, electric switch having detent means in the plunger which are cooperable for selectively engaging and electrically connecting the Contact arms.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a selectively controllable, plunger operated, electric switch which is cooperable for selectively operating the dome light of an automobile.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device of the character set forth in the preceding objects, which is inexpensive, simple, easy to install and of Virtually foolproof construction.

Other and allied objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a careful perusal, examination and study of the accompanying illustrations, the present specification, and the appended claim.

To facilitate understanding, reference will be made to the hereinbelow described iigures, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of one illustrative embodiment of the present invention in an extended operative position;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 in the retracted non-operative position;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the lines III-III in Fig. l and illustrating the extended perative position;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view similar to the view shown in Fig. 3, but with the plunger rotated ninety degrees into the extended non-operative position;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of another ernbodiment of the present invention and taken along the lines V-V in Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 and showing the plunger in the extended non-operative position; and

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view of the embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6, taken along the same lines ICC dome light or some other electrical member in associ-V ation with the electric switch 8.

A` pair of longitudinal, normally separated, resilientcontact arms 13 are secured at their fixed ends 11 tothe insulated rear portion 15 at the rear of the housing 9 by means of the mechanical fasteners 16, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and electrically connected by the leads 18 to a source of electrical energy and a light or the like. The contact arms 13 communicate through the aperture 26 in the cover 25 and into the interior 2.7 of the hollow plunger 11. The cover 25 is attached by the screws 29 to the detents 28 in order to screen out foreign matter from the interior 27. The resilient contact arms 13 include upwardly projecting portions 19 adjacent the freev ends 12.

The plunger 11, slidably mounted within the plunger aperture 20 of the housing 9, includes an enlarged inner end 21 which is slidably mounted within the interior 22 of the housing 9. Outward travel of the plunger 11 is limited by the abutment of the front portion 23 of the inner end 21 and the doorpost 10, as best shown in Fig. 1. Spring biasing means 24, disposed between the rear portion 2S of the enlarged inner end 21 and the dielectric cover 15, urge the plunger 11 forward.

The plunger 11 has a non-operative retracted position, as shown in Fig. 2, an extended operative position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and an extended non-operative position, as shown in Fig. 4. The electric switch 8 may be actuatedinto the non-operative position by merely rotating the plunger 11 ninety degrees from the extended operative position, as shown in Fig. 1. The plunger 11 should be partly pushed in so as to avoid shearing oii the contact arms 13, although the dielectric detents 28 may be rounded oli at the ends and have point contact with the projecting portions 19, thereby eliminating the shearing problem.

The pair of dielectric detent wedge means 28 are bonded into the enlarged inner end 21 and are cooperable for engaging the integral projecting portions 19 and electrically connecting the free ends 12 when the plunger 11 has been actuated into the extended operative position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, upon opening of the door 14.

If the plunger 11 has been rotated into the non-operative position, the detent means 28 are moved out of engaging contact with the projections 19 and are unable to actuate the free ends 12 into electrical contact, as best illustrated in Fig. 4, thereby rendering the electric switch 8 inoperative.

Figs. 4-6 illustrate another preferred modification of the present invention, and corresponding parts will be indicated by similar reference numerals. primed however. The operation of this modification of the invention is quite obvious upon consideration of its similarities and differences relative to the iirst form of the present invention shown in Figs. l-4. In this connection, it should l be noted the plunger 11 is provided with a dielectric elliptical aperture defining means 30 in the rear of the enlarged inner end 21 which is cooperable for selectively engaging the projections 19 and electrically connecting the free ends 12' upon extension of the plunger 11 into Patented Nov. 3, 1959 the operative position, as best illustrated in Fig. 7. When the plunger 11' hasbeen rotated into the operative position, the major axis of the elliptical aperture 30 is substantially horizontal, as shown in Fig. 7, and when the plunger 11 is rotated into the non-operativeswitching position the major axis of the aperture 30 is substantially vertical, as illustrated in Figs. and 6 The long side walls of the aperture 3@ cannot engage the projections 19' when actuated into the substantially Vertical 4position and thus the selectively controllable, plunger operated, electric switch 8 is inoperative when in the aforementioned position. A ninety degree rotation of the plunger 11 will align the major axis of the elliptical aperture 30 in a substantially horizontal position, thereby making the electric switch 8 operative.

Numerous modiiications and variations of the present invention will occur to those skilled in the art after a careful study hereof. All such properly within the basic spirit,'scopevand/or teachings of the present invention are intended to be included and comprehended herein as Vfully as if specifically described, illustrated ,and claimed` The exact compositions, configurations, constructions, relative positionings, and cooperative relationships of the various component parts of the present invention are not critical, and can be modified substantially within the spirit of the present invention.

The embodiments of the present invention speciiically described and illustrated herein are exemplary only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, which is to be interpreted in the light of the prior art and the appended claim only, with due consideration for the doctrine of equivalents.

I claim:

A selectively controllable, plunger operated, electric switch, comprising: a housing having a plunger aperture in the front thereof; a pair of longitudinal, normally separated, resilient contact arms having integral projecting portions thereon and including a free end and a xed end which is secured to said housing and connected to a source of electrical energy; said projecting portions being upwardly projecting and being adjacent said free ends; a selectively controllable spring biased plunger, slidably mounted in said plunger aperture, provided with an enlarged inner end which is slidably mounted within said,

housing, said plunger having a non-operative retracted position and extended operative and non-operative positions and being selectively rotatable, whereby said extended operative and non-operative positions may be selectively controlled; an elliptical aperture in said plunger cooperable for selectively engaging said projecting portions and electrically connecting said free ends of said contact arms when the major axis thereof is substantially horizontal, the major axis of said elliptical aperture being substantially horizontal when said plunger is in said extended operative position and with the major axis of said elliptical aperture being substantially vertical when said plunger is in said extended non-operative position; said plunger being dielectric.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,540,420 Bordelon Feb. 6, 1951 2,558,188 McWilliams June 26, 1951 2,717,295 Marvin Sept. 6, 1955' 2,777,911 Cox Ian. 15, 1957 

